Aim: To investigate the long term outcomes of microvascular decompression (MVD) for hemifacial spasm (HFS) and to identify any prognostic factors.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of 189 consecutive patients with typical HFS who underwent MVD. Multiple logistic regression analysis of variables at various time points including at least immediate time point and one at no less than six years was performed.
Results: Short-term follow-up showed a cure rate of 91%, including 51 cases of delayed resolution (27%). At two years or more information was available in 148 (out of 189) cases of patients. 101 cases (68% - of 148 cases) had complete recovery, 28 cases (19%) achieved a partial though worthwhile recovery, so that the effective rate of symptoms relief at six years was 87%. Complications were found (66/189, 34.92%) and cured within the follow-up period (cure rate of 100%). In both the univariate and multivariate analyses, the postoperative findings of clinical outcomes showed that preoperative illness duration, compressive pattern, the intraoperative indentation of the root exit zone (REZ) of the facial nerve and intraoperative AMR disappearance were negative predictors and age considered to be positive, which significantly predicted the clinical outcome of patients following MVD.
Conclusions: MVD may be a safe and effective strategy for HFS patients in view of relatively higher cure rates and lower complication risks within follow-up. Besides, patients' age, duration of disease, intraoperative indentation of the REZ of the facial nerve, and disappearance of AMR were the major influential variables may be useful for the prediction of prognosis in the patients underwent MVD.
Keywords: Follow-up; Hemifacial spasm; Intraoperative indentation of the root exit zone; Microvascular decompression.